Judge assesses 99-year term in stomping death

A jury found Erasmo Santa guilty of murder last month.

An ex-con found guilty of murder last month for stomping the head of a neighbor was sentenced Friday to 99 years in prison.

State District Judge Maria Teresa Herr also assessed a $10,000 fine for Erasmo Santa, who faced a minimum sentence of 25 years because of previous prison terms for burglary and rape.

Witnesses said Santa, a 42-year-old former bouncer, attacked John Ellsworth Wilson IV, 37, at the West Side mobile home community where they both lived because he believed Wilson had disrespected his family - asking for handouts and hitting on his common-law wife.

Santa's attorney said his client struck Wilson out of self defense.

But prosecutors described the altercation as one-sided, portraying Wilson as a frail alcoholic who tried to back away. There's no self defense, they said, in repeatedly stomping one's work boot on someone's head after they're already unconscious.

After the beating, witnesses said Santa barred them from helping Wilson. Instead, they said, he yelled, "Let him die."